Josh Speer's Reviews
If you’re a fan of roguelikes and want to try your hand at something reminiscent of Indiana Jones, Curse of the Dead Gods might be your game. For everyone else, it’s best to avoid entering this deadly temple of ancient horrors.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I took Everhood for review. Now that I’ve beaten the game once and touched upon New Game+, all I can say is this is my favorite 2021 indie so far. And I strongly think it will take something incredible to dethrone it from that position. Not only does it feature amazing music, but it also has evocative artwork and a compelling plot about mortality and human choice. If it helps, don’t think of this as an indie. Think of it as required gaming for anyone that enjoys video games.
In the end, I have very mixed feelings about Cathedral. I appreciate the style and concept, and even find the game fun a lot of the time. But all that is put at risk by questionable design and unbalanced difficulty. If you’re not afraid of a little pain, you’ll likely have a lot of fun. Those that are adverse to annoyance will need to decide if this game is worth the price of admission. That said, I do hope that developer Decemberborn AB is able to use my critiques to make a more balanced Metroidvania in the future. Because rough spots aside, there’s a lot that I enjoyed here.
I know I sound like I’m being hard on The Shadow You, but that’s only cause I see the potential for it to be something better. I do admire Topchan Games for what they obviously accomplished with a limited budget. And they definitely succeeded in the horror parts of the game. Perhaps if they can invest more time and care into their writing and focus more on their horror, their next game could be outstanding. As things sit now, The Shadow You is a promising game held back by its narrative. If nothing else, it’s a short and inexpensive experience. I managed to get the True ending in about 4 hours, and that’s only because I got lost in a couple of puzzles. Horror fans might still find something worthwhile here, warts and all.
I can best recommend it to fans of gaming history or dungeon crawlers.
It’s a short, linear, funny, and entertaining experience, and one sure to keep fans of the comic happy.
Overall, I’m still quite pleased I got the opportunity to review Olija. Devolver has a knack for publishing quirky and unique fare, and that tradition continues here. I just wish it wasn’t so short. Because the world of Terraphage is a fascinating one, and I really wish I could have gotten more lost in it. But those complaints aside, this is still a very solid game worth checking out. Here’s hoping the next project by Skeleton Crew Studio is a bit more robust.
Despite my issues with several elements here, I can’t help but feel a fondness for Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World – Complete Edition. I absolutely never expected this game to make a comeback. And even though there are issues that still need addressing and fixing, I feel this is a game fans will still enjoy. Hopefully, Ubisoft takes the time to make some positive changes. If they do, this will go from an average game with amazing ideas to a truly great game. And honestly, I feel that’s what fans deserve after so very long.
Despite my problems with it, I still enjoyed my time with The Wind and Wilting Blossom. It’s very much a mixed experience, but my irritation is softened somewhat by the knowledge that Picklefeet is constantly working on improving the game. I know they’re a small team, which makes their dedication all the more admirable. So if you’re willing to wait for the game to reach its ideal version, it’s not asking too much to buy the game now. Just don’t expect to win very often as you face off against Takiyasha’s monstrous hordes.
Honestly, Grindstone is a game I’m ecstatic I finally got to try. If I hadn’t known it was originally for mobile, I wouldn’t have believed it. This is a high-quality adventure, and a reason I keep following the work of Capybara Games. It’s full of content, amazing art, and challenge galore. Yet it never gets so hard that I decided to stop playing for very long. Honestly, this is the best puzzle game I’ve played in a decade. It’s tremendous fun, and the only real downside is that sometimes the difficulty will spike unexpectedly. If you have a Nintendo Switch and are looking for a game to grind away the hours, this is a wonderful choice.
Despite how long I’ve been ranting here, there’s plenty more I could say about Hades. But honestly, I feel it’s best you discover for yourself why I’m so enamored of Supergiant’s latest adventure. Though the game isn’t quite perfect, it truly earned the accolades it’s been receiving. And honestly, if they decide to implement some additional content later on, most of my complaints would be rendered moot. This is honestly my favorite game yet by Supergiant Games, and easily one of my favorite indies of 2020. If you love rogue and need something new to enjoy, be sure to put this one on your wishlist.
I can’t help but be charmed by Tanuki Justice. It’s the second game I’ve played published by Storybird Studio, and it’s another great retro throwback. Yes, it’s challenging and sometimes unforgiving, but it’s also a hell of a lot of fun. The few modern conventions here do ultimately make it a more well-rounded package, as well as elements like being able to select stages in any order once you’ve beaten them or try it with another player. And while I do feel it’s a bit pricey, it’s still pretty easy to recommend at less than $20. If you’re a fan of retro-looking for something new, this is a great holiday treat.
I really wanted to love Ponpu. The zany premise, delicious artwork, and Bomberman-inspired gameplay could have resulted in a triumphant indie classic. Instead, it was held back by glitches, occasionally sloppy game design, and a lack of real progress. But when you consider this was only the second time mobile developer Purple Tree tried their hand at consoles, I can moderate some of my frustration. If you’re a fan of Bomberman looking for something weird, then this still might be the game for you. As for myself, I find myself eagerly awaiting the next game from Purple Tree, and hoping it patches over any annoying imperfections.
I don’t hate Green Hell, but I do lament what it could have been. I went into the game with an open mind and a willingness to try things out. Sadly, the lack of coherent direction and awkward controls made the game overly difficult. While I’m not adverse to challenge, it is a nitpick of mine to get lost due to sloppy design. I honestly hope Creepy Jar takes my notes constructively and uses them to make their next game a masterpiece. Sadly, this particular entry is quite hard to recommend.
Considering I wasn’t a fan of KINGDOM HEARTS before I tackled Melody of Memory, I’m shocked by how much fun I had playing it. Not only did it bring back fond memories of Theatrhythm, but it made me more than a bit eager to dive into some other KINGDOM HEARTS games. This mixture of Square Enix and Disney is a novel idea in a world full of pale imitations, if nothing else. While the game isn’t quite perfect, it came pretty darn close. If you’re a fan of music games or just love KINGDOM HEARTS, you really can’t go wrong here.
Honestly though, when you take everything into consideration, Seven Knights -Time Wanderer- totally blew me away. I never thought I’d have this much fun with a game inspired by mobile, but here we are. Not only is the game visually luscious, but it plays like a fast-paced dungeon crawler. Sure, it’s a bit repetitive and the plot could be better, but few games are perfect. What’s here is still incredibly solid and fun, and I’d recommend it to any old school RPG fanatic. And when you consider how inexpensive the game is, I can’t recommend it heartily enough.
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin isn’t perfect, but the good more than outweighs the bad here. It’s just frustrating for me personally, cause there were so many things about the game that could have translated to a perfect experience. There’s just too many missteps for that. Thankfully, what’s here is still very much worth the price of admission. If you want a game you can sink hours and hours into while enjoying a meandering and surprising story, you have to check this one out.
Carrion is a game I’ve been looking forward to for a while. And though I am more than a bit disappointed I got stuck, I’m still eager to play through again sometime soon. It’s an absolute steal at $19.99. Warts and all, this is a fascinating and wholly unique game. I’m glad as always that Devolver Digital takes chances on titles like this, and can’t wait to see what’s next from Phobia Game Studio.
Overall, Panzer Paladin was actually better than I thought it might be. It wasn’t quite perfect, but it came really damned close. If they had done things like make Remixed a bit more different than Classic, or ironed out the glitches I experienced in Tournament mode, I would have given this a perfect score. It’s a tremendous value for only $19.99, with multiple endings, tons of different modes and an adventure I won’t soon forget. I spent about 10 hours beating the game the first time, but since then have spent several more hours just enjoying the game. I always knew Tribute was capable of greatness, and I’m so glad they achieved it in Panzer Paladin. Now I just hope they have a sequel in the works, cause I want to see more from this amazing world.
Ultimately, I don’t think I was the right person to review Keen: One Girl Army. It’s not horrible, and I like the ambitious scope of the adventure, but it’s also much more hardcore than I was expecting. That said, it’s attractive and has good replay value, apparently featuring a secret ending if you’re patient enough to 100% every level and unlock every Shrine. With all that in mind, Keen isn’t a bad deal for $15.99. Ultimately I think this is a good experiment from Cat Nigiri, and I hope they’re not discouraged by my thoughts. If you’re a fan of puzzles, not matter how difficult, then this is your game.